Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!emory!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!cert.sei.cmu.edu!krvw
From: I8QY@CORNELLA.BITNET (John Norvell)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: The Virus in Society
Message-ID: <0007.9010291826.AA04361@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 22 Oct 90 19:08:07 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
Lines: 26
Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

Dear Virus-L readers,
     I am an anthropologist currently looking at social and cultural
issues possibly illuminated by the computer virus.  I am very
interested in personal experiences, stories, overheard conversations,
dreams, etc. that may show the social effects of the virus among
computer users of all types and levels of sophistication.
     I am particularly interested in any and all stories about loss of
data by any means, feelings about waiting on the computer, and most
especially for feelings regarding the virus and its relatives.  Have
you ever heard of people who thought they had a virus but didn't or
who panicked and did silly things because they thought they were
infected?  How did you react the first time you were infected?  Does
anyone else share hostile feelings toward virus creators such as those
expressed by Ross Greenberg in the Flushot documentation?  Or, was
that just hype to sell software?  Why do people create virues anyway?
Questions like that.
     Since this request is likely too weird and definitely irrelevant
for this list, please e-mail responses to me at
                                 I8QY@cornella.cit.cornell.edu
                                 I8QY@cornella.bitnet
 or snail-mail at
        Dept. of Anthropology
        McGraw Hall
        Cornell University
        Ithaca, NY 14853
     Thanks for your help.   John Norvell